Collapsible box



Jan. 20, 1942. w, RINGLER 2,270,343

COLLAPSIBLE BOX Filed June 12, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR ATTbRNEYJan.-20, 1942. w. A. RINGLER COLLAPSIBLE BOX Filed June 12, 1939 2Sheets-Sheet 2 rt R Y WW W m 4 MM mm w Patented Jan. 20, 1 942 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE COLLAPSIBLE BOX William A. Ringler, Wayne, Pa",asslgnor to National Folding Box Company, New Haven, Conn., acorporation of New Jersey Application June 12,11939, Serial No. 278,657

4 Claims.

This invention relates to collapsible boxes, and more particularly toboxes that can be economically made and produced from, a single blank ofpaperboard material, that can be shipped and stored in fully collapsedcondition and thereafter quickly and expeditiously set up and expandedby the user as needed.

Set-up boxes in common use, while reasonably economical to manufactureand while possessing requisite strength and stiffness to support andprotect the contents, have certain serious inherent drawbacks. Suchrigid set-up boxes cupy enormous cubical space in relation to the numberof boxes occupying such space, with the result that shipping and storagecosts play a highly important part in the final cost of such boxes up tothe time merchandise is packed therein. Furthermore, such boxes oftenbecome damaged during shipment and storage, since the superimposedweight of the stacked boxes and the incidental shifting of the boxesduring shipment result in substantial breakage and splitting at thecorners and bulging of the side, bottom, and end walls, to the pointwhere they are no longer serviceable. To reduce this damage and loss toa minimum, the set-up boxes must be carefully packed in strong packingcases with only.a limited number of boxes therein. In many instances ithas been found necessary to .provide separating partitions between theindividual boxes to protect them from damage.

It is an object of this invention to provide a highly serviceablemerchandising box or carton that can be produced and assembled byautomatic machinery at relatively low cost,-which can be shipped andstored in flat, completely collapsed condition so that large numbers ofcollapsed boxes may be contained in a limited space and when thuscollapsed are'not subjected to' damage or breakage.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an improvedcollapsible box which can be quickly erected and expanded from collapsedform to merchandise-containing expanded form quickly and expeditiouslyby the user as needed,

which box has means associated therewith to maintain the bottom, end,and side wall panels in rigid, fiat wall-forming position, and which hasrigidity, strength, stillness and serviceability when the merchandise ispacked therein fully comparable to the set-up box.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent asthe disclosure proceeds.

In accordance with this invention, my improved collapsible box may beformed from a single blank of paperboard material having two securingtabs only to'which adhesive need be applied, which tabs may be pressedinto adhesive contact with the end'wall panels of the box on anautomatic box assembling machine to complete the box assembly operation.The bottom wall panel and the end'wall panels are provided with foldlines intermediate the side edges thereof which permit flat collapse ofthe box and superimposed stacking of the collapsed boxes so as to occupythe very minimum of space. A bottom flap is hinged to each of the'endwall panels, each flap being provided with a plurality of radiallyextending score lines which permit partial collapse of these flaps. Thefree edge of each of these bottom flaps is of generally arcuate ape andthis feature, along with the collapsing feature above noted, permitsready insertion of the bottom flaps into 'the partially expanded boxso-as to overlie the inside face of the bottom wall panel. A top flap ishinged to each end wall panel, which top flaps may be turned inwardlyafter merchandise has been packed within the box. These top flaps whenso inturned provide bracing struts which maintain the end wall panelsand bottom wall panel in fully expanded straightline position. The

box may also be provided with a cover panel hinged'to oneof the sidewall panels, which cover panel may be provided with a tuck-in flapadapted to seat against the inside face of the opposite side wall panelto further maintain the box in jects and advantages, and the manner inwhich it may be carried out, may be better understood by referring 'tothe following description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings forming a part thereof, in which-- Fig. l is an expanded viewof a preparedblank suitably cut and scored to form my improvedcollapsible box;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the blank shown in Fig. 1 as it appearswhen assembled to form 3 the collapsed boxes arranged in stackedrelationship ready for storage or shipment;

Fig. 4 is an exterior fragmentary perspective vview of the box inprocess of erection, this view showing the bottom flap partiallycollapsed and undergoing insertion into the box to overlie th insideface of the bottom wall panel;

Fig. 5 is an interior fragmentary perspective view of the partiallyerected box shown in Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is 'a further fragmentaryperspective view of the fully erected box as it appears when My improvedcollapsible box may be formed 7 from a single blank of paperboardmaterial of the requisite strength and stiffness to hold the desiredmerchandise. The blanks may be cut from large sheets or rolls of theselected paperboard material, the cutting of the blank from the sheet orroll into the proper shape and the scoring thereof being advantageouslyperformed on an automatic cutting and scoring machine. Each blank, asshown in Fig. 1, comprises more particularly a bottom wall panel,generally designated as I, having side wall panels 2 and 3 connected toeach side edge thereof by hinge or fold lines 4. An end wall panel,generally designated as 6, is hinged to each end of the side wall panel3 along fold lines I. A cover panel l6 hinged to the side wall panel 2along the fold line H may also be provided. Cover panel l6 may beprovided with a box-bracing tuck-in flap l8 hinged thereto along thefold line l9.

It will be noted, by referring more particu larly to Fig. 1, that thebottom panel, generally designated as l, is provided with alongitudinally extending fold line 5 equally spaced between the parallelextending fold lines 4, dividing the panel I into a pair ofsubstantially equal hingedly connected collapsing sections la and lb. Itwill also be noted that each end panel 6 is provided with a top tuck-inflap, generally designated as l3, hinged to each end wall panel 6 alonga fold line H which is generally co-extensivewith the top edge of theside wall 'panel 3. Each end wall panel. 6 is also provided with abottom tuck-in flap, generally designated as 9, which is hinged to itsend wall'panel ,6 along a fold line I'll generally co-extensive with thefold line 4 which defines the lower edge of the side wall panel 3. Eachbottom tuck-in flap 9 has a free edge 2l of generally arcuateconfiguration or otherwise so shaped as to permit the bottom fiap 9 tobe readily tucked into the partially collapsed assembled box to overliethe bottom wall panel I.

It will be noted that a continuous fold line 8 traverses each end wallpanel 6, top flap l3,

and bottom flap 9, which score line 8 extends substantiallyequidistantly between and generally parallel to the score line I and thefree edge score line II, which extends from the meeting point of thescore lines 8 and Ill, traverses the bottom flap section 9a 95 so as todivide the same hingedly connected bottom flap portions 90 and M. Asecuring tab I5 is hinged to each end of the side wall panel 2 along thescore line 20.

To assemble the box from the blank shown in i Fi 1, a strip of adhesiveg is applied to the inside face of each-panel section 6b, which adhesivemay bereadily applied by automatic gluing devices associated with thebox assembly machine. The box assembly machine first raises the sidewall panels 2 and 3 into generally parallel position. Each tab l5 andend wall panel 6 is then swung inwardly so as to extend generallyperpendicular to the side wall panels 2 and 3 respectively, and theoutside face of each tab is pressed into adhesive contact with theinside glued face of the adjacent end panel section 6b, as illustratedin Fig. 2. It will be appreciated that each end panel section 61) is soarranged with respect to the adjacent securing tab l5 that the free edge23 thereof substan- .tially coincides with the fold line 20 of theadjacent securing tab.

When the prepared blank has thus been assembled, as shown in Fig. 2, theside wall panels 2 and 3 can be collapsed together so as to closelyoverlie one another, which operation is permitted by the collapsing foldline 5 in the bottom wall panel I and the collapsing fold line 8provided in each of the end wall panels 6, the top flaps l3 and bottomflaps 9. Thus when completely collapsed, bottom section la will overliethe inside face of bottom section lb, each end wall section So willoverlie the inside face of the adjacent end wall section 6b, each topfiap section l3 will overlie the inside face of the adja- 23, of the endwall panel 6. Score line 8 thus divides each end wall panel 6 into twosimilar hingedly connected end panel sections 6a and 6b and also dividesthe top flap l3 int0.two similar top flap sections I31: and l3b.Similarly, score line 8 divides the bottom flap 9 into two similarhingedly connected generally arcuate shaped sections 9a 9b and 9c 9d. Adiagonally extending cent top flap section I31; and each bottom fiapsection "9a 9!) will overlie the inside face of'the adjacent bottom'fiap section 9d. Each collapsed box will then appear as shown in Fig. 3.It will now be appreciated that a large number of the collapsed boxesmay be stacked one upon.

the other, occupying a minimum of space during shipment and storage. Thestacked collapsed boxes, as shown in Fig. 3, may be shipped to andstored by the merchandise manufacturer to be set up and used by him asneeded.

When the collapsed box is to be filled with merchandise, bottom flapportions 9b and lie at each end of the box are pinched together, asshown more particularly in Figs. 4 and 5, which operation is permittedby reason of the fold lines 8, I l and I2. When the bottom flap portions9b and 90 have been thus pinched together, as by grasping the same withthe fin'gers, pinching tool or other mechanism, each bottom wall flap 9may be swung inwardly over the adjacent free edge 22 of the 'bottom wallpanel I so as to extend inwardly in superimposed relationship over theinside face of the bottom wall panel I. This operation is facilitated byreason of the arcuate shape or configuration of the free edge 2| of eachbottom wall flap 9, the edge 2l being so shaped that the boundarydefining edge of bottom flap portions 9a and 9b may-be readily insertedover and inwardly of the bottom panel sections la and lb respectively,and the boundary defining by a suitable automatic jig,

easily ride over the free edge 22 of the bottom wall panel I adjacentthe inside face of the fold line 5. When the bottom flap insertingopera-' .swinging the bottom flaps inwardly over the adjacent free edge22 of the partially collapsed bottom. wall panel I so as to position thebottom flaps over the inside face of the bottom wall panel I. Themerchandise is then packed within the box, and the merchandise duringpackaging thereof serves to further expand the box so as to bring thehingedly connected end panel sections 6a and I 6b and the hingedlyconnected bottom panel sec-- so positioned and arranged as to occupy-thefull interior cubical area of the box. After packaging, each top wallflap i3 is turned inwardly so as to extend generally perpendicular toits associated end wall panel 6, the cover panel'then folded over thetop of the packed box and the tuck-in flap I8 inserted into the box soas to lie against the inside face of the side wall panel 3. A suitablesealing strip may be provided,,if

desired, to seal the box and thus prevent unauthorizedremoval of thecontents.

- The box as thus assembled and packed provides a rigid, strong andhighly serviceable container for numerous merchandise products. When themerchandise is packed in the expanded box and the top -flaps l3 foldedinwardly, it will be noted that the inwardly turned top flaps l3 act asstiffening struts which prevent either inward or outward collapse of theend panel sections 6a and 61), thus holding the hingedly connected endpanel sections 6a and 6b in rigid and positive straight wall alignment.The hingedly connected end panel sections 6a and 6b are further held inrigid, straight wall alignment by reason of the pressure ,of themerchandise against the inside faces of the side wall panels 2 and 3,

tions, la and lb into straight wall alignment. The top wall flaps -13are then turned inwardly,

, providing an end wall-bracing strut for each end of the box, and thecover panel I6 is then brought into closing, position, the tuck-in flapinserted into the box, and, if desired, a sealing strip applied. Myimproved box as thus packaged and closed is substantially as stiff andrigid as a box of the set-up type which does not possess the collapsingfeature. My improved box may be produced at substantially the same costas setup boxes of the simplest type, and substantial economies can beeffected in shipping and storage costs. l

While certain novel features of the invention have been disclosed andare pointed out in the annexed claims, it will be understood thatvarious omissions, substitutions and changes may be made by thoseskilled in the art without departand finally the cover panel IS, withits tuck-in flap l8 abutting the side wall panel 3, also acts as ashape-maintaining end panel strut. It will be further appreciated thatwhen the hingedly connected end wall sections 6a and 6b are rigidly heldand maintained in straight wall alignment by reason of the three forcesabove indicated, the fan-shaped bottom flaps 9 are also maintained infully expanded form and in close abutting relationship to the insideface of the bottom wall panel I and, additionally, the bottom panelsections la and lb are also maintained in straight wall alignment.

The blanks from which my improved collapsible boxes are formed 'can beeconomically pro-- duced at a h gh production rate byscoring and cuttingthe blanks on an automatic scoringand cutting machine from large sheetsor rolls of the selected paperboard material. The strip of adhesive gmay be applied to the inside face of each of the panel sections 6b bysuitable automatic gluing mechanism, .and each tab may be foldedinwardly and secured to the inside face of the adiacentend wall panelsection 6b at a high production rate by means of a box assembly machineof well known construction. The boxes are ejected from the box assemblymachinein collapsed condition. The collapsed boxes are stacked together,as shown in Fig. 3, and packed in suitable shipping boxes. A largenumber of collapsed boxes may be contained in a shipping box of limitedcubical content. I

When the user is ready to pack the merchandise, each collapsed box isexpanded by hand or which box-expanding operation comprises the pinchingtogether of the bottom flap portions 91) and 9c and then ing from thespirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. An improved paperboard box including, a bottom wall panel having freeend edges, oppositely arranged side wall panels hinged to said bottomwall panel, oppositely arranged end wall panels hinged to said side wallpanels but otherwise free of said bottom wall panel, a bottom flaphinged to each of said end wall panels, each of said bottom flaps havinga plurality of radially extending fold lines radiating from the hingeline defining said bottom flap whereby each bottom flap may be partiallycollapsed and inserted over the adjacent free edge of said bottom wallpanel to overlie the inside face thereof, a top flap hinged to each ofsaid end wall panels adapted to be turned inwardly, a cover panel hingedto one 'of said side wall panels, and a tuck-in flap hingedto saidcoverpanel adapted to be inserted .into the box adjacent the oppositeside wall panel thereof, said top flaps and cover panel serving asbox-bracing and rigidifying struts.

2. A collapsible box formed from paperboard material including, a bottomwall panel, oppositely arranged side wall panels hinged to said bottomwall panel, oppositely arranged end wall panels hinged'to said side wallpanels but otherwise free of said bottom wall panel, said bottom wallpanel and end wall panels each having a fold line extending generallyparallel to and substantially equidistantly spaced between the sideedges thereof thereby'permitting substantially fiat collapse of saidbox, a'bottom fiap having a generally arcuate free edge hinged to eachof said end wall panels, each of said bottom flaps having at least tworadially extending fold lines said bottom wall panel.

3. A collapsible box formed from paperboard -material including, abottom wall panel, oppositely arranged side wall panels hinged to saidbottom wall panel, oppositely arranged end wall panels hinged to saidside wall panels but otherwise iree of said bottom wall panel, saidbottom wall panel and end wall panels each having a fold line extendinggenerally parallel to and substantially equidistantly spaced betweenthe'side edges thereof thereby permitting substantially flat collapse ofsaid box, a bottom flap having a generally arcuate free edge hinged toeach of said end wall panels, each of said bottom flaps having at leasttwo radially extending fold lines radiating from the hinge line definingsaid bottom flap, said generally arcuate free edge and said radiallyextending fold lines permitting manipulation of each bottom flap toeflect insertion thereoi' over the adjacent free edge of said bottomwall panel, and a top flap hinged to each of said end, wall panelsadapted to be turned inwardly to serve as a box-bracing and rigidifyingbottom wall panel, said bottom wall panel having. a fold line extendingparallel to and substantial- 1y equidistantly spaced between the hingedside edges of said bottom wall panel, an end wall panel at each end ofthe blank, each end wall panel being hinged to one end of a side wallpanel but otherwise tree of said bottom wall. panel, and a bottom flaphinged to each of said-end wall panels along the respective edgesthereof which edges;are substantially a straight line continuation orthe fold line hinging the adjacent side wall panel to the bottom wallpanel and ex-' tending coextensive with said edges, each of said bottomflaps having a substantially arcuate free edge and a lengthapproximately half the width of the bottom wall panel, each of saidbottom flaps having a plurality of radial told lines radiating from themidportion of its hinged edge, each of said end wall panels and bottomflaps having a fold line therein extending generally parallel to andspaced substantially equidistantly between the side edges of the endwall panel.

WILLIAM A. RINGLER.

